MUSIC - Between the wheels by Rush

Exhibition Stadium - demolished (1999) BMO soccer field built on the site

Location - Lake Shore Blvd. W., Ontario Dr., on the CNE grounds

Exhibition stadium came into prominence in 1977 with the birth of the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League. Actually, Exhibition stadium had been around since 1959. It was also the fourth stadium to be built on the same site. The stadium was located in the Exhibition place which houses the Canadian national exhibition every August.

When the Blue Jays came into being, the stadium was retrofitted if you will, to host baseball. It was originally built for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. The stadium had major problems for baseball. A lot of the seats down the right field line were miles away from the field. Some seats were in fact about 800 feet from home plate. Also, the winds off lake Ontario made games in the early part of the season miserable experiences. The stadium was not fancy by any stretch. The only roof was in the left field stands. The rest of the stadium was uncovered. BUT it was the Blue Jay's first home.

The first ever game for the Jays was a memorable event. On April 7, 1977, Exhibition stadium became the first ever park to host a baseball game where the entire field was covered in snow. For the record, the first game was also the Jays first victory ever. A crowd of 44,649 saw the Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5. Jerry Johnson got the win in relief, and the late Doug Ault hit the first ever Blue Jays home run in the first inning. Richie Zisk of the White Sox had the honor of hitting the first home run at Exhibition stadium in the first inning also. He connected off the Jay's Bill Singer. The final game at Exhibition stadium was on May 28, 1989, ironically against the same Chicago White Sox. The Jays won the final game 5-3 before a crowd of 46,120. Tom "the Canadian goose" Henke got the win in relief. George Bell of the Jays hit a 2 run home run in the bottom of the tenth for the last ever home run at Exhibition stadium. Most fans were not sad to leave the "mistake by the lake." Howling winds, snow, fog, rain and seagulls bombarded many a Jays fan.

There was no all-star game played at Exhibition stadium, and only one playoff appearance in 1985. The Jays lost the pennant to the eventual world champion Kansas City Royals.

The second major tenant, well actually they were the first major tenant, were the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. They played at Exhibition stadium from its opening in 1959 thru the 1988 season. The stadium hosted the Grey cup twelve times during its 29 year run.

Exhibition stadium was not meant to be a permanent home for both the Jays and Argos. In 1989, the Skydome opened up right next to the CN tower in downtown Toronto. Exhibition stadium lay dormant for about 10 years, basically rotting a slow death in the harsh Ontario winters. Finally in February of 1999, Exhibition stadium was demolished. The site lay vacant for 6 years when in 2006 construction began on a soccer stadium. It was the fifth stadium built on the same plot of ground. BMO field opened in 2007 as the home for the Toronto FC of the MLS.

The original Hockey hall of fame was located directly behind the left field stands at Exhibition stadium. The hall was at Exhibition place from 1961 thru 1992, when the building was closed and the hall was moved to the former Bank of Montreal on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto.

It wasn't pretty. It wasn't comfortable, but it was major league. For 12 seasons, players and fans alike battled the elements and seagulls. It went out without much fanfare and lay decaying for almost a decade. Younger fans who go to the new BMO field probably don't even realize that the site was the former home to the Blue Jays and Argos. Exhibition stadium was part of baseball history, even if it was for a shot period of time.